Frequently asked questions

  • General legal expenses insurance
  • Family
  • Motor
  • Home emergency
  • Commercial (Business) LEI
What happens if my claim is declined?

If your issue is not covered by the policy and can’t be taken on as a claim, we may still be able to offer you support through the telephone legal advice helpline. You’ll still be able to use the telephone advice service for general legal advice about your situation.

Will I have to go to court?

In our experience, the majority of cases settle without the need to go to court. However, if your case can’t be settled and needs to go to court, we’ll support you throughout the whole process by explaining what will happen at each stage and informing you of any action you need to take.

Who will represent me?

The majority of our claims are dealt with by our preferred law firms, unless legal proceedings have been issued and you have exercised your right to choose your own lawyer, or if there is a conflict of interest.

How could my claim end?

We think it’s in everybody’s interests to settle a case amicably, but we know this isn’t always possible. If a settlement agreement can’t be reached your claim may have to go to court.

Don’t worry, we’ll support you throughout the whole process by explaining what will happen at each stage, and informing you of any action you need to take.

What can I do if I don’t agree with the lawyer’s assessment of prospects of success?

If you disagree with your lawyer’s opinion that your case is not likely to succeed (i.e. does not have reasonable prospects of success), a more senior lawyer will review your comments or we may ask a barrister for their opinion.

If you’re still unhappy following this you would need to obtain your own barrister’s opinion at your own cost. If your barrister finds in your favour we will cover any financial costs for their opinion.

Why use lawyers selected by my insurance company?

In order to refer your claim to a law firm we need to have an agreement in place setting out how we will work together – this can take time to set up. Our preferred lawyers already have this agreement in place, which means they can take on cases straight away.

Due to the nature of our relationships our preferred law firms understand the limits of our policies and they have expertise in working with us. Our preferred lawyers are also monitored and audited by us to make sure they are providing our customers with the highest quality of service.

What does ‘reasonable offer to settle’ mean?

When a settlement offer is made by the other party, your lawyer will consider if the offer is reasonable based upon the circumstances of your case. If you choose not to take the advice of your lawyer and accept a ‘reasonable offer’ we may, under your policy wording, withdraw any further funding. We will cover all reasonable costs up to this point, but if you want to pursue the matter further you may have to fund any further legal costs yourself.

It’s important you let us, and your lawyer, know if anyone makes an offer to you to settle your claim. You must not negotiate or agree to a settlement without informing us first.

What will DAS pay?

The maximum amount we will pay towards the costs and expenses regarding legal expenses claims is detailed in your policy wording. We will fund the costs required by the case up to this limit; for example, if your policy has a £50,000 limit of indemnity, we will fund your case until the costs reach £50,000 (assuming the prospects of success remain at 51% or above).

What if I have more than one claim in a year?

We will pay the amount shown in your policy wording for each and every claim, and there is no limit on the number of claims you can make in any period of insurance.

Who decides how the money is spent?

The costs and expenses that are required for your case are determined as it progresses and are made up of your lawyer’s time, cost of expert reports and court and barrister fees. Your policy also covers any costs you have to pay the other side if you lose.

These costs are agreed between your lawyer and us. We will fund the reasonable costs and expenses necessary to run your case, up to the maximum shown in your policy wording.

Can I claim for a dispute which started before I bought the policy?

You won’t be able to claim for legal issues that started before the legal expenses policy was taken out. For example, in an employment-related claim, the situation may have recently reached a point where you need legal assistance, but the actual dispute may have started several months before.

Will DAS pay costs incurred before I reported the claim?

We will not cover any legal fees you incur before reporting a claim to us. It’s really important that you call our legal advice team as soon as you become aware of any issues so they can discuss the best and correct way for you to progress without you incurring any legal costs not covered by your policy.

Where can I buy family legal expenses insurance?

Family Legal Expenses Insurance is typically sold as an add-on product to a buildings and/or contents insurance policy. You may therefore be offered this cover by an insurance company or a broker.

What can I call the legal helpline about?

Our legal helpline can give you confidential legal advice on a range of personal legal issues.

How often can I call the legal advice helpline?

As often as you need; there are no limits on how many times you can call.

Can I claim for a problem that started before I bought the policy?

No, you can’t claim for legal disputes that started before the date your cover began. Also, in some cases – for example, employment, contract and debt claims – you may not be covered for disputes arising within the first 90 or 180 days of the policy.

Can I claim for costs I’ve incurred before making a claim?

No; it’s important that you speak to us as soon as possible after a dispute arises so we can discuss the best way to proceed. We will not cover any costs you incur before we have agreed to cover your claim, such as the cost of consulting your own lawyer.

Can I choose my own lawyer?

We’ll usually appoint a lawyer from one of our preferred law firms on the basis of their expertise to deal with your claim. However, there are instances where you have the right to choose your own lawyer – such as if court proceedings are issued or there’s a conflict of interest. It’s important to know that if you do choose your own lawyer we will only pay them the same amount as we would pay our preferred lawyers – currently £100 per hour.

What countries would this insurance cover me in?

This depends on the type of cover you have; some policies will only cover you in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, while others could cover you elsewhere in the European Union and other European countries.

This also depends on the kind of incident which needs to be covered; for example, a policy might only cover employment disputes in the UK while covering personal injury claims made in other EU countries. You should check your policy documents to see what is covered and in which countries.

Will this insurance cover disputes related to a property I am letting out?

No, the cover will only cover disputes related to your main home; legal disputes related to tenants and letting out property could be covered by property let legal expenses insurance.

Will this insurance cover motor disputes?

No, family legal expenses insurance will not cover any motor-related matters, such as contract disputes related to motor vehicles or personal injury claims for car accidents. Claims such as these could be covered by motor legal expenses insurance.

Where can I buy motor legal expenses insurance?

Motor Legal Expenses Insurance is typically sold alongside a motor insurance policy. It can be bought for most types of vehicles, including cars, vans and motorbikes. Your insurance company or broker will usually discuss Motor Legal Expenses Insurance with you when you take out or renew a motor insurance policy. If you take out LEI with your motor insurance policy, you will usually pay for both in the same way.

How could motor legal expenses insurance help me if I have an accident that isn’t my fault?

Having a car accident is bad enough, but it can impact more than just your car. Items in the car like your phone or tablet could be damaged, or if you can’t use your car for a few days you might not be able to get to work, losing you income. None of these things are likely to be covered by your car insurance.

Motor legal insurance will help you work out the full value of loses you have suffered and claim them back from the person who caused the accident.

How could motor legal expenses insurance help me if I am injured in an accident that isn’t my fault?

Being injured in a car accident could potentially have a lifelong impact on you. Regardless of the extent of your injuries, motor legal expenses insurance could mean that your case will be managed by an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Won’t my motor insurer give me a hire car if my car is damaged in an accident that isn’t my fault?

In most cases motor insurance policies don’t guarantee a replacement vehicle if your car is damaged. Many motor legal expenses insurance policies will help you either by providing you with a replacement vehicle or reclaiming costs (within certain limits) of you hiring a replacement vehicle where you are entitled to. Your legal expenses provider should be able to explain what you are entitled to, or you can find out by reading your policy documents.

Does motor legal expenses insurance only help when I’m involved in an accident that isn’t my fault?

It all depends on the policy you have. The main benefit of motor legal expenses insurance is to help you recover costs and get compensation if you are involved in a motor accident that isn’t your fault. However,  policies are increasingly expanding their benefits to include legal help in defending you against certain motor prosecutions, like dangerous driving, or helping you with a motor-related contract dispute, like buying a second-hand car that turns out to be less reliable than the salesman implied. Some policies will also include legal helplines.

What can I call the legal helpline about?

Our legal helpline can give you confidential legal advice on personal legal issues; you are not limited to questions about motor legal issues.

How often can I call the legal advice helpline?

As often as you need; there are no limits on how many times you can call.

Can I claim for a problem that started before I bought the policy?

You can’t usually claim for legal disputes that started before the date your cover began.

Can I claim for legal costs I’ve incurred before making a claim?

No; if you have a DAS policy it’s important that you speak to us as soon as possible after a dispute arises so we can discuss the best way to proceed. We will not cover any costs you incur before we have agreed to cover your claim, such as the cost of consulting your own lawyer.

Can I choose my own lawyer?

For a claim under a DAS policy we’ll usually appoint a lawyer from one of our preferred law firms on the basis of their expertise to deal with your claim. However, there are instances where you have the right to choose your own lawyer – such as if court proceedings are issued or there’s a conflict of interest. It’s important to know that if you do choose your own lawyer we will only pay them the same amount as we would pay our preferred lawyers – currently £100 per hour.

Where can I buy Home Emergency cover?

Home Emergency is typically sold alongside a home insurance policy. You may be offered this cover by your insurer or an insurance broker.

When can I call to report a problem?

You can call us at any time, and our contractors can come out day or night, all year round.

How often can I call?

You can call as often as you need – there is no limit on the number of call-outs.

Who will you get to fix problems with my home?

We have access to a national network of approved engineers, so you can be sure that any emergency work will be done promptly and to the highest standard.

Will I get a temporary or permanent repair?

This depends on what action is required to fix the problem; usually you will receive a temporary fix, but we will provide you with a permanent fix if this is no more expensive than a temporary one.

Why do I need this in addition to my home insurance?

Your home insurance will help cover the cost of permanently fixing problems and damage with your home, but it can’t provide an immediate fix in the event of an emergency. Home Emergency could address the immediate issue that’s causing the emergency so that your home remains habitable.

Is this a home maintenance policy?

No, this policy will not cover day-to-day home maintenance.

Can I get my own repairs done and then make a claim?

No, the policy will only cover costs incurred after we’ve accepted a claim and appointed a contractor to deal with your emergency.

Does the policy cover me if I rent my property?

No, it will only cover claims if you own the property and it is your main home.

What will DAS pay?

Home Emergency provides different levels of cover – depending on the kind of policy you have – to resolve the emergency in your home. To find out how much cover you have, please see your policy wording or ask your insurance adviser.

Does the policy cover a residential property that I rent out to a third party?

DAS does offer policies designed specifically for landlords which will cover a residential property that you rent out to a tenant.

How do I buy commercial legal expenses insurance?

Commercial legal expenses insurance is usually sold alongside other commercial insurance products and can be included as part of a wider commercial package policy wording, or sold individually with its own separate policy wording.

What will commercial legal expenses insurance pay for?

Dependant on the policy you have, commercial legal expenses insurance may pay for:

  • an appointed lawyer’s legal fees;
  • court fees;
  • expert witness costs;
  • the other side’s costs if you are unsuccessful;
  • certain compensation awards you are ordered to pay.
Can my business claim for a problem that started before I bought the policy?

No, you can’t claim for legal disputes that started before the date your cover began. And in some cases – for example, employment, contract and debt claims – you may not be covered for disputes arising within the first 90 or 180 days of the policy.

Can I claim for costs I’ve incurred before making a claim?

No – it’s important that you speak to us as soon as possible after a dispute arises so we can discuss the best way to proceed. We will not cover any costs you incur before we have agreed to cover your claim – for example, the cost of consulting your own lawyer.

Can I choose my own lawyer?

We’ll usually appoint a lawyer from one of our preferred law firms on the basis of their expertise to deal with your claim. However, there are instances where you have the right to choose your own lawyer – such as if court proceedings are issued or there’s a conflict of interest. It’s important to know that if you do choose your own lawyer we will only pay them the same amount as we would pay our preferred lawyers – currently £100 per hour.

Am I covered for incidents that happen abroad?

You’re covered in the UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands on all the elements of cover listed above. You’re also covered for some legal defence and personal injury claims in certain European countries. For full details please refer to the ‘countries covered’ definition within your policy wording.

What can I call the legal helpline about?

Our legal helpline can give you confidential legal advice on a range of commercial legal issues.

How often can I call the legal advice helpline?

As often as you need; there are no limits on how many times you can call.

Why do I need this in addition to my business insurance?

Commercial legal expenses insurance could cover a number of legal costs that your general business insurance won’t cover. For example, commercial legal expenses insurance can help you pursue a claim over a contract dispute with a supplier.

Will the insurance help me recover unpaid debts?

Many commercial legal expenses insurance policies will offer assistance in recovering unpaid debt, however the amount in dispute must be over £200 (including VAT).

Will this cover legal costs related to an accident involving a company vehicle?

No; this insurance will not cover you for any claims involving motor vehicles, unless your business is engaged in the business of selling motor vehicles.

Learn more about legal expenses insurance

Find out more

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